Post-match: USA v. South Korea - September 6, 2025 - International Friendly

We are the rudderless ship.

 

My 2 cents

1. There was no lack of effort or intensity by any of our guys, IMO
2. Midfield + Blackmon wasn’t there defensively.
3. Weah and CP were lost in the first half.
4. Sarge’s marker was much quicker than him and completely neutralized him. He had much more trouble with a quicker Balo.
5. Zendejas, Balo and Richards looked best for us. CP was ok.
6. Some guys who played today are not at his level. I’d rather iron chef the game plan to our quality than run out overmatched player through the middle of our defense.

 

First half was worse than I expected. Second half was more like I expected the first half to look like. Not good or anything but with purpose until they could start to gel.

That was bad, lots of bad performances. South Korea wasn’t really bothered about the result, either, looked like they were just getting some work in.

 

I had no expectations for this match but, strangely, was still disappointed. Go figure.

 

It’s the USMNT Experience for the whole cycle.

 

1. House on fire
2. Poch is poor
3. No heart from the players
4. No combo play at all - too much hero ball
5. Shiite defense (Ream is done)
6. How much conflict of interest is there between USSF and MLS - Jonathan Klinsmann on the bench - Seb Berhalter interviewed - we are officially a BS federation.

 

Pochettino has certainly not advanced the ball at all. What he thought he would accomplish with Blackmon is and will remain a mystery. The defense was disorganized, the offense was impotent until SK quit caring and even then it was poor. The US just doesn’t have the players to play like Pochettino wants to, I guess. That’s still on Poch.

 

At this point, we need Gio back fast. He’s a major upgrade.

 

You think we can get Belichick? Belichick to USMNT, Poch to College Football! Trade.

 

Quick Takes:

• South Korea is really good defensively, and the contrast with our organization is notable. Hopefully, with a longer camp, some of these things can go away. We continually have a lot of new guys.
• From a player standpoint: Balogun, Dest and Freese. I thought that Freeman and Roldan looked good. Luna was too tentative but fine. Arfsten was passable. Poor performances: Blackmon, Berhalter, Adams, Weah, Pulisic, and Ream. Christian had some good plays but he blew way too many chances. I don't think Sargent was bad but it's really clear he couldn't generate chances or space. I see people who were positive on Zendejas, but I saw the same player I've seen -- a guy who simply can't get his shot or pass off in international play so far.
• Dest was good, but he needs to learn to handle a double team better.
• I think part of the reason the team looked better is that after the subs, the team stopped being so structured to get the ball to specific guys. Blackmon and others were suddenly more offensively active and fluid. Some of that is trailing or Korea backing off, but we were very mechanical that the ball was going to Pulisic and Dest in the first half and it felt pretty mechanical. Of course, they are your best guys, but we needed to mix it up more, I think.

 

People wonder why Poch prefers Agyemang to Sargent. He might trip over the ball 5 out of the 9 times he gets behind the defender, and be offside on 2 more, but Pat gets behind him 9 times.

 

Ok we did the fringe guys MLS thing, now time to put a little more meat out.

Freese
Dest Richards Ream Weah/Max
Adams LDLT
Balo Luna Puli
Sargent

 

Dest was out to lunch on second goal. He had a clear view but didn't move until too late.

 

Good to have Dest and Balogun back. Other than that, blech.

 

I'll have to look again. He also got caught sort of flat footed on the first. He was marking a guy so I'm not sure he should have pressured the ball, but he and Adams were both there and let him make the easy pass.

I actually think Berhalter summed it up well in the post-game -- and then Beas as well -- our defense was not prepared to handle their wide overloads, and that's what led to the first goal.

 

Please no more Sargent, my wife will divorce me.

 

That was a disaster. Poch better not mess around with the lineup against Japan. That midfield and backline was poor. Korea was able to get through with little resistance then.

 

Agyemang is simultaneously a lower-level player than Sargent and about 1,000 times more likely to create a chance on goal for the USMNT. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

 

We need Gio and Tillman in the midfield. And Tyler does nothing but run around and break up plays and gets the ball to one of the two of them.

 

This all falls on Pochettino...are we all so dumb to think we can ignore the fact he isn't calling in our top players, not starting the best players that he does call in and then coaches them to play so ineptly, we can't win games with players like Blackmon, Arfsten, and Berhalter. Period.
Broadcasters for some reason can't say players that suck are being called in. They have to lie to themselves and everyone else and only mention heart, desire, and intensity when that has absolutely nothing to do with the reason we suck. We're calling up inferior players who don't have the skill to play at this level.

 

There is literally nobody in this squad that makes this midfield any better. Anybody with half a footballing brain could have see this coming from a million miles away.

 

We better pray that he figures out what his issues are because the only time this cycle that this team has looked even remotely organized is when he was on the field.

He has pretty much been an afterthought to me and most everybody else around here lately, but it would be a big boost for sure.

 

Well there was one person that didn’t.

 

Hopefully, Big Pat will be back to USMNT after successful stint at Derby County...lol